The Stranger
by Anahoney
Summary: AU: The Torchwood teams lives all change when a space ship lands in the countryside and bring them a stranger.
1. Prologue

**A/N: All known Characters and places are NOT Mine they belong Russell T. Davies and the BBC**

Unknown Planet (Unknown Time)

Gently he set the now sleeping baby in the basket, tucking the watch with in the folds. He laid a gentle kiss on his little girl's forehead before setting her on the steps of the home in the predawn light. He prayed she would grow to be as strong and beautiful as her mother, and as intelligent as himself, however what he prayed for most was that she would be safe and happy in this other world.

Cardiff, Wales (2008)

With Jack gone, Gwen swiftly took over, hence giving even more time to Torchwood. After only a month of the near constant work Rhys couldn't handle it and told her it was him or "that bloody job." Gwen couldn't leave the team once again without a leader and begged Rhys to stay, however the next morning she was found sleeping on the couch in Torchwood by Owen. He held her while she cried, before telling her that she was always welcome to stay with him. By the time Jack showed up another 2 months later, Owen had proposed.

Tosh, while slightly disappointed in the loss of any chance with Owen was extremely happy for her friends. While the team had seemingly moved on from the abandonment of their Captain, she stilled missed him dearly, a trait she shared with Ianto. The two of them would go out 3-4 times a week to a small pub in between their two flats and would offer the other a shoulder to cry on.

When Jack returned from his trip with the Doctor he was surprised by how much his team had changed. When Ianto asked if he was leaving again his heart broke at the look in Ianto's eyes, it was like he was a small child begging their mother to tell them the monsters under the bed weren't real, but knew that they were. Jack wanted nothing more than to pull him into his arms and assure him for hours on end that he wouldn't leave him again, however he wasn't sure if the Coffee Boy would forgive him so quickly or easily. The appearance of John Hart didn't make things any easier, and his announcement of Gray was hardest of all. That night Ianto found him in his office staring out over the Hub and his team as they left, tears slowly making tracks down his face. That night for the first time in longer than he could remember he let someone hold him while he cried, and after he cried over the loss of not only his family but also his own innocence, he told his beautiful Welshman the story of his home.

**A/N: Will post the first chapter tomorrow, after that will me and my beta demand 5 reviews... the story is complete so updates will correlate with reviews.**


	2. U mean there are no men in the military?

**A/N: I know I said tomorrow but I felt generous so here is the first chapter. Again nothing is mine that is recognizable. **

Dirt and rock exploded out word as the black foreign aircraft crashed through the atmosphere and landed in Beauville Woods. A door was kicked open from the inside and a small lanky figure climbed out dressed in black leather with silver cuffs on each wrist and a black helmet blocking the view of its face. Crouching outside the spaceship, it reached in and helped pull free twelve more figures of varying heights and builds, all dressed the same and all very feminine.

"What about the Captain?" a soft tearful voice asked from behind one of the helmets.

"We can't help the Captain." The first figure snapped, "We need to move, find out where and when we landed. Luckily its night, and hopefully this is still earth. Until we know what the atmosphere is like, helmets and air stay on." She commanded as they made their way toward the lights of the city.

Five miles away Captain Jack Harkness was calling the troops back, each bitching about leaving only ten minutes prior. As the Last of them meandered in he filled them in. "twenty minutes ago a "UFO"" Jack rolled his eyes at the term, "was seen falling in Beauville Wood. We need to find and detain the crash site, let's move out." They all headed for the SUV, piling in with Jack and Ianto in the front and Owen squished between Gwen and Tosh in the back. Owen wondered if he was the only one who noticed how close the Captain and the Tea boy had been getting lately. When they arrived on scene Jack and Gwen disappeared into the already open ship while the other three set up the lights to take in the scene.

"We have a stiff one," Jack said climbing out of the shuttle before pulling Gwen out, "and if this ship was full, as I suspect it was, we have 13 live ones out there. Ianto, Tosh, transport the remains back to the hub and get back here, there are more out there and we don't know what they are, let's get them rounded up before they start causing chaos." Jack commanded. "Everyone keep your lines open and we will each take separate directions, my guess they will all be dressed just like that one, minus the crack in the helmet and broken neck. Yell if you see something, do not, I repeat do NOT; try to apprehend on your own, we have no clue what they are yet. Let's round them up before dawn." with that Jack, Gwen and Owen all split in different directions, while the others loaded the body into the SUV. Slowly Jack headed in the direction of the first lights he could see, where he figured the intruders had headed. Even when they thought he was splitting things evenly, his team never seemed to realize how much he put himself in danger when he thought it could save them, especially Gwen and Ianto. He reached the first street he followed it into town. Walking on bent knees he listened for the tell tail signs of creaking leather, and pounding feet. About a hundred yards ahead of him he saw one of the creatures dart across the road and took off after it.

"Sighting on Cardiff Rd heading North East." He yelled into his ear piece. "STOP WHERE YOU ARE, I WON'T HURT YOU I WANT TO HELP!" Jack yelled to the invader. He continued to chase the assailant till he was only a few feet from it and launched himself at the figure, tackling it to the ground, thinking that he was glad they hadn't made it to the residential area yet. Before he could blink he was thrown off and the figure was crouched into a fighting stance facing him. He could hear the sound of feet pounding down the road toward them. As he pulled himself to his feet what felt like an elbow connected with his chin sending him stumbling back before a foot was planted in his chest shoving him against a tree. His team surrounded them, guns trained on the attacker.

"Tell them to drop the weapons." A husky voice ordered, moving the foot to his windpipe and pressing, "or I'll kill you."

"You can't kill me, and they won't drop their weapons." Jack said before grabbing the foot at his throat and twisting, slamming the figure helmet first into the concrete of the street. At the impact, the face plate of the helmet cracked. Growling in frustration the figure pulled the helmet off and whipped it into the trees. Falling from the helmet was a mass of black hair that curled tightly and framed the near delicate face of his opponent. "Well shit."

"What?" asked Owen slowly moving to the right of Jack as Tosh moved to the left and Ianto and Gwen cove red the center.

"I can't hit a woman." Jack said, wishing for once he could go against his upbringing.

"Well I have no problem hitting a man." The girl in front of him said, before jumping up and kicking him twice in the chest making him stumble back before letting out a piercing whistle. Suddenly the Torchwood team was surrounded; each had two guns pressed to the back of their heads. "Now like I said before tell your team to drop them."

"Guys, do what she says, "Jack ordered, not willing to risk the lives of his team mates, "we don't want to hurt you we want to help." He said to the woman in front of him hoping to convince her of the truth.

"Yeah well, then you can help by answering a few questions, like where are we?" she said hands on her hips.

"Cardiff UK, Earth." Jack answered.

"When?"

"2007"

"Shit, the General is going to have my hide." She paced slightly, "listen we are from the 52nd century. We're from the US military sent out on a mission, my guess is your fucking rift in time brought us here, can you help us get back?"

"We can try but we don't exactly know how to manipulate the rift safely yet. Captain Jack Harkness, by the way." Jack said feeling slightly more at ease, "Maybe we could finish this conversation back at our base?"

"Lieutenant Cali-Ann Manson, any of you try anything we will kill all of you without hesitation."

"Understood."

"Ok girls put them up." all twelve girls stepped back and holstered their guns. Jack's ears picked up the noise of movement only second before all hell broke loose.

Suddenly they were all under-fire from both sides by what could best be described as laser blasts. Jack and his team instantly hit the ground before firing back. Time seamed to slow for Cali-Ann as her Team was taken down one by one from the unseen enemy. A stream shot through her side sending her down as she continued to fire into the woods. After only five minutes the air was silent except for the heavy breathing. Jack quickly moved into the woods motioning for his team to stay put. On both side he found two dead Aliens. Owen moved swiftly through the bodies checking for life. When he got to Cali-Ann the look in his eyes, told her all she needed to know, and she let a silent tear roll down her cheek. She gasped out as Owen looked over the severe burn on her side.

"We got them all, no clue what they are or where they are from, but they are all dead." Jack said.

"Help me up, let me look at them." Cali-Ann said forcing herself to sit up. Jack slipped his arm around her waist careful of the injury, and helped her into the woods. "Cashiarn, that's what we were on our way to stop, they were trying to take over one of our outer colonies; they must have followed us here."

"We need to get you back to the Hub for medical attention, and we will see to your comrades." Jack said helping her back to the road, just as Ianto pulled up in the SUV.

"Thank you." She said as Jack Helped her into the back seat.

"Alright, Gwen and Tosh I need you to stay here with the Bodies, I'll go back with Ianto and Owen to the Hub with our guest here. Ianto and I will come back and we can start the Body retrieval, stay out of sight." Jack order before helping to load four of the fallen soldiers into the back of the SUV, it was going to be a long night. Owen pressed a kiss to Gwen's lips, both assuring the other that they were ok, before climbing to the back of the SUV.

An hour later Jack and Ianto had finished sliding the last body into the cryo-chamber. Owen had seen to Cali-Ann's wound and had given her faded jeans a t-shirt to change into, also confiscating both wrist units for inspection. They and the rest of the team were now in the board room.

"So how can we help you get back?" Jack asked coming into the room, shortly followed By Ianto who had brought coffee.

"Doesn't matter now, not enough people to fly the ship, no honor to go back with." She said silently accepting the steaming mug. She took a small sip and grimaced at the bitter taste of the coffee.

"Wasn't sure how you liked it, I can get you cream or sugar if you want." Ianto offered.

"Lots of both if you wouldn't mind," she said with a grateful smile, "never was big on coffee. Actually you wouldn't by any chance have some hot chocolate I could add to this would you?"

Jack smirked at the flash of disgust in Ianto's eyes at the thought of ruining his coffee with hot chocolate, "of course I'll be right back."

"I don't mean to offend anyone, just can't stand the taste of coffee, unless mixed with large amounts of chocolate and sugar." She said before sliding into one of the chairs.

"Well I'll hope you understand that we can't let you roam our time until we know more about you, and make sure you're not a threat." Jack said sitting next to her at the head of the table.

"Completely," she smiled up at Ianto as he set down a small tray with the requested items next to her, "thank you. So what do you want to know?"

"You said you came from the 52nd century, when exactly?"

"We left in the year 5122"

"You said outer colonies, what did you mean?" Gwen asked.

Cali-Ann smiled, "I'm sorry, I can't answer that, too much chance of changing the future."

"She's right, we can't ask too much about it," Jack said, "However you said you were from Earth, I take it then that you are-"

"Human, yes. We haven't quite evolved to the point of allowing Aliens into the military. Then again we just got rid of the men."

"You mean there are no men in the military?" Tosh asked.

"Not a single one, we couldn't take the chances any more. Men, or at least men of the future, are controlled too much by their testosterone, we needed to be able to think more logically. There hasn't been a man in the upper ranks in the past 50 years."

"I had heard something about that while I was a boy, never thought it would be true." Jack murmured.

"What do you mean?" Cali-Ann asked looking at him confused.

"You're looking at a 51st century man." Jack said with a smile.

"I thought I recognized that scent. You're from the Boeshane aren't you?"

"You've been there?"

"No, but I studied it in school, or the attacks anyway."

"I see."

"So how did you end up here?"

"Long story, but we'll just blame it on the Time Agency."

Cali-Ann rolled her eyes, "They always do cause trouble."

"You know them?"

"Any military worth their grain in salt knows about them, and stays far away. So if you're a Time Agent why are you still here?"

"Ex-Time Agent, Time Vortex shorted out, and I like it here."

"I'm sorry, but would it at all be possible to continue this in the morning? I'm kind of beat."

"Sure follow me." Jack led her down into the vaults. "I'm sorry we can't be more accommodating, but we really can't take any chances." He said opening one of the cells.

"I understand, and I'm military, it's not like we normally stay at a five star." She said walking in and dropping to sit on the mattress covered cement slab. The team had found the old worn mattress along with the pillow and thread bear blanket in one of the storage rooms.

"Hopefully we can get you in a more comfortable surrounding tomorrow." Jack said closing the cell. Cali-Ann made a noise in her throat before laying back and closing her eyes, wishing to block out the day.

**A/N: Again, will post the next chapter when I have 5 reviews but I will only update once a day.**


	3. I'm sorry I am so so sorry

**So did get the five reviews on the last chapter :( but decided I wouldn't punish those who did review just bc I didn't get my way, but before I move on to the next chapter I would like to say thank you to sd4ianto for reviewing on the prologue, PCJanto for reviewing but the first chapter and the prologue and capitain and Aya2013 for reviewing on chapter one. hope you guys enjoy this one as much as you did the last one.**

Slowly the team all packed up and went home, till just Jack and Ianto were left at the Hub. Ianto stood at the small sink, washing the six coffee mugs; he was still slightly disturbed by how the new comer had ruined his coffee. Jack slid his arms around Ianto's waist, resting his chin on his shoulder.

"You don't have to stay here." He said, but not really wanting the other man to leave.

"I know, but maybe I want to." Ianto answered, still not turning from the sink.

"Oh really?" softly Jack started placing small kisses along the other man's neck, wondering how long it would take to distract him from his task. It didn't take as long as Jack thought before they were slowly making their way to the small bunker under his office, pushing at each other's shirts, mouths never leaving each other. They separated briefly to drop into the bunker before they were back where they had left off. Jack rolled over Ianto pinning him to the bed with his normal wicked smile in place. Just as he stared to lower his lips to Ianto's neck, they heard a shrill scream from down in the Vaults. "Shit." Jack Jumped up. "Stay here, I'll be right back." He ordered Ianto, not wanting to put the young Welshman in any danger. He raced down to the vaults.

When he got there he found Cali-Ann huddled in the corner of her cell, face buried in her hands. "Help me." She squeaked at him, peaking through her fingers.

Quickly Jack opened the cell and rushed over to her. "What's wrong?"

"Help…" she reached out to him her fingers brushing over his hand, and they were both lost.

After a few minutes Ianto, getting both worried and impatient, moved to Jack's office and pulled up the CCTV of the vaults. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Jack had the new comer pressed against the wall of the cell, his mouth trailing down her neck, her arms clutching his shoulders, his hands slowly trailing up her sides. Quickly he made his way down to the Vaults, he couldn't believe Jack would do this. When he got down to the Vaults they had moved across the cell, Jack was sitting on the cot with the new comer straddling his lap. Both of their shirts lay forgotten on the floor. Ianto opened the door with a deep growl. He reached out intending to pull the small woman off of Jack, but the moment his hand touched her skin all he wanted to do was press himself against her back.

Cali-Ann woke up, stretching as she always did, before going still. She was no longer on the fairly uncomfortable cot but was pressed between two warm bodies, on the hard concrete floor of the cell. Her eyes snapped open and she looked down to see Ianto, the coffee boy, fast asleep face resting on her chest. Turning her head and looking up she found herself looking at the face of Captain Jack Harkness.

"No, no, no, no." quickly she pushed her way from between the two of them. This could not be happening. Her quick movements awoke the two men on the floor, each rolling over onto their backs with a groan, looking completely confused. Cali-Ann grabbed the blanket and clutched it to her chest, "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." She said moving to the corner fighting the tears.

"WH-what happened?" Jack said sitting up, not even fazed by his lack of clothes.

"It's my fault, I'm so sorry." She watched as Ianto immediately started to dress, his eyes not leaving the floor. He threw Jack his pants which the captain slid into.

"Ok why don't you calm down and tell us what happened." Jack said reaching a hand out to her.

"NO!" she cringed back into the corner, "don't touch me, you CAN NOT touch me." Both guys watched her with weary eyes now.

"You told us yesterday, you were no danger, now I need you to explain to me what happened and how it was your fault." Jack said taking a step back, yet making sure he was between the frightened woman and Ianto.

"It's not something I can control, ok? Please I'll explain everything. I just, please I need a shower and to get dressed, please I'm sorry, I am so, so sorry."

"Ok, Ianto, why don't you go put on some coffee and a hot chocolate for her." Jack said still not taking his eyes off of her but wanting to get Ianto out of the way of any possible danger. "I'll step outside and you can get dressed then I will take you down to the showers." She nodded her head still watching them with wide eyes. Both men exited the cell, and for the first time Jack turned to look at Ianto. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Ok what do you remember because the last thing I remember was her reaching out asking for help, and I do remember telling you to stay put."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "I got worried so I checked the CCTV from your office and saw the two of you going at it like rabbits against the wall, so I came down here, I was actually pretty pissed, when I got in there I reached out to pull her off and… that's it."

"Ok so now we understand no touching," Jack reached out and laid his hand on Ianto's shoulder, "why don't you head up, I'm sure we will be up soon."

"Ok, I'll keep an eye on the CCTV, Sir." Jack watched as Ianto walked toward the main part of the Hub. Jack reached his hand out and rapped lightly on the glass in question. Slowly Cali-Ann stepped out; still she could not meet his eyes.

An hour later the three of them were in Jack's office with the door closed. Jack was sitting in his chair behind his desk, looking relaxed as ever if you didn't know him enough to see the slight vibrations of restless energy he was giving off. Ianto stood off to the side by the door, looking on with cool eyes. Cali-Ann was curled into one of the chairs opposite Jack's desk, one knee pulled to her chest. "Ok, Cali-Ann time to explain." Jack said talking a sip of the Coffee on his desk.

"Please call me Cali. It started about 20 years ago, my time, they decided the human race was dying out, or at least the pure Humans were. They started giving all the girls injections twice a year, once on their birthday, and once on their half birthday. The injections were a type of manmade hormone that wouldn't activate till the girls reached 16 and stopped receiving the shots. We would get 20 of these shots, the first on our fifth birthday, the last six months before our 16th birthday. When they stopped the shots the reaction caused severe pain during a three day period when the injection would normally be given. During these times it would also cause a reaction in guys when they touched us, even the most innocent of touches such as a hand shake. It makes all of those involved think only of sex to the point where they can't think of anything else, they can't stop it, and you don't remember any of it. It also makes women more fertile, and the men involved more potent. I didn't think about it because being in the military I have an anti-serum of sorts, from my cuffs. It will beep when I need the shot and then I can administer it. I haven't thought about it in so long. I'm so sorry." When she finished her eyes flicked up to look at Jack who was looking at her in both understanding and something that wasn't quiet pity, but close. Behind her Ianto was struggling to keep a look of complete disgust and horror off his face at what had been done to her. It was like her own government had raped her.

"Ok, what can we do to make sure this doesn't happen again?" Jack asked.

"I need the cuffs that Dr. Harper took last night. Inside them I have the Anti-Serum, and a second injection that can …. Reverse any results of last night. I will show you exactly how they work and everything about them, but as I said I need those cuffs."

Jack took a deep breath, "Well then let's get them." Jack walked over to the safe at the side of the room and opened it pulling out a box. Inside were both cuffs which he gently took out. He placed them on his desk. "I can't let you take them till you explain them, but I can allow you to administer the needed … medications."

Nodding Cali-Ann leaned forward and pressed three buttons on the one cuff. Immediately a small compartment opened and revealed three small vials. Cali-Ann pulled out two, one was a near florescent green, this one she slid the needle into her arm and injected, the other was a pale blue. Both Jack and Ianto watched in near shock as she stabbed this into her hip before injecting it. She slid both now empty containers into the cuff and closed the compartment. The cuff started making a small humming sound as the compartment closed.

"Ok in this cuff," she motioned to the one she had just used, "holds the anti-Serum, which was the green, the, um … reversal, which was the blue, and the last one in there, the red one, is an anti-poison, and it works on everything. All three are made by elements in the air that the cuff can convert. May I?" she asked motioning to it. Jack nodded his head. She slipped the cuff onto her right wrist. "This one here is a little more …. Complicated. "She motioned to the cuff still on the desk. "it has a communications system, it monitors all of my vitals when I have it on, has a tracker on it, a GPS, can manipulate most electronics, and has three small poison darts, that we can use as a last ditch effort in battle."

"Ok, sorry, but I don't think we can give this one back quiet yet," Jack said sliding the cuff back toward him. The thought of letting a stranger loose in the hub equipped with poisonous dart was just little bit like sticking his team in a tank with an unknown animal that may or may not tear them limb from limb.

"Completely understand. Again I can't say how sorry I am about last night, if I had even suspected that it would happen I would have warned you." She said taking a deep drink of the hot chocolate Ianto had made, humming in delight has the rich liquid slid down her throat. "Last night Captain you said you had more questions for me, please ask them. I'm sure last night was great however, I would like to do what I can to start some semblance of a life here since there isn't any real way for me to get home." As Jack started his questions Ianto slid out to start everyone else's coffee as they arrived.

An hour later they both exited Jacks office, both cuffs secured to Cali's wrists, "Ianto," Jack called out to get the Welshman's attention, "Can you take Cali out to get clothes?"

"Sure." He answered handing Jack a new mug of coffee. "Though wouldn't Gwen or Tosh be better for the job?"

"Ah but you're the only one with a company card besides me."

"I see, well," he turned to Cali, "we should get going."

"Right, I don't need much, though I would be grateful if I could get a replacement for my jacket that was ruined last night? It really helps to stop the cuff from chaffing."

"I know where we can go for that." Ianto said and lead the way out.

Ianto was surprised by just how little Cali had decided she needed, only buying enough clothes to last a week. She'd gotten 7 pairs of jeans all in a rather tight boot cut, and all in darker colors. For tops she picked out 14 cotton tank tops all in varying colors. At Ianto's suggestion she grabbed 2 pairs of night shorts, pants and shirts, not really looking at what was on them. She spent the most time picking out the replacement Jacket. Ianto watched as she first ran her hand over the different leathers in the shop, not once looking at a tag. He had to admit he was impressed that she could pick out the finer leathers by just a touch. After settling on three different jackets she tried each one on, testing her movement in them. While the rest of the shopping had taken only a total of an hour, it took Cali nearly the same to pick out the jacket.

Finally she turned to look at Ianto, "Would it be alright if I picked up a few items to condition the jacket?"

"Of course." Ianto smiled at her, he wasn't sure why, but since hearing her story, Ianto felt drawn to her. As they walked toward the checkout he saw a pair of gloves that matched the jacket she had picked and grabbed a pair for her knowing how cold the Welsh weather could get. He set the gloves on top of the jacket and paid for them and the conditioning. As they walked back to the hub Ianto spotted a small café he would stop at in the morning sometimes, "Hungry?" he asked looking down at her.

"A bit."

"Come on." He led her into the café, holding the door open for her. "What would you like?" he asked.

"Ianto, I have no clue what any of this is." She said with a small laugh.

"Oh, right….hmm," Ianto ordered them each a sandwich with cheese and tomatoes with a light vinaigrette and a coke, before heading back to a small table near the back of the café.

"So what is it that you guys do?" Cali asked.

"Well there's a rift that runs through Cardiff that aliens slip through along with people from other times such as yourself. We just help everyone acclimate to their life here or we send them home if possible." He explained while tucking a napkin into his collar, a gesture Cali couldn't help but find charming. "What about you? What was the future like?"

"Wonderful." She gave a small laugh, "my mother was an Officer in the military, my father raised me till I was about 11. Then they sent me off to a small military academy on the out skirts of town. Ever since I was like 5 my mom and I would run courses together. Back then I didn't realize she was training me, it was all just fun and games."

"So you've always been military? You're what like 20?" Ianto asked incredulously. He couldn't believe her entire life had been nothing but the military, he couldn't imagine a childhood like that.

"22 and you can't be much older." She said with a small laugh.

"You're right, only 24 here." He said with a small smile. The rest of the small lunch was filled with idle chat as they started to get to know one another.

When they got back to the Hub Cali walked up to Jack's office. She gave a small knock on the door, leaning on the door frame. "What's up?" he asked glancing up from his paper work.

She walked in setting a cup of coffee Ianto had given her to give the captain on his desk, "I want to join Torchwood." She said sitting down across from him.

He looked up with an eyebrow raised. "Did Ianto tell you bringing me coffee with soften me up?"

"He said it might help." She said with a small smile.

"And if I tell you there are no positions open?"

"I'll say that I have different Alien knowledge than you do and that can be nothing but an asset." Her smile was slowly turning into grin.

"I have to talk to my team."

"But you are the one who will make the final decision." She sat back in the chair, knowing she was going to get her way. She watched as Jack walked out to the Hub and called everyone into the boardroom. After a few minutes Jack walked back in, "Well?"

"Trail period, six weeks, you pull any shit your out."

"Deal."

**Ok so there's chapter 2, still praying for 5 reviews for this chapter, if I get five I will update sooner. have chapter 3 already uploaded and waiting and just waiting for the following ones to be edited by my beta. hope you enjoyed Ana :)**


	4. Mobiles landlines Tincan wbits o String

**A/N: so just wondering if anyone really likes this story? I see lots of people are reading it but I'm not getting any feed back. PLEASE let me know what you think.**

"Captain Jack Harkness." He answered as usual.

"We have another one." Said the voice on the line. It was one of Jack's contacts on the police force, while they all acted as if Torchwood was the Anti-Christ its self, Jack had at least one spy in every precinct that would call him and his team in when there was anything fishy. Each time they would say just that one line and hang up. Jack quickly called the rest of his team back as he walked out to wake Cali.

"Uh?" she sat straight up as Jack carefully shook her shoulder.

"Get ready we leave when everyone gets here. I'll explain on the way." He said as he started to Dial Owen and Gwen. When he hung up with Owen, he called Ianto next. Quickly Cali slid her jeans over the sleep shorts she had on and pulled her shirt off to slide on a bra and the shirt she had next to the couch. She was pulling on her boots as Jack hung up with Tosh, the last of the team to be called. She slid her fire arms into the holster at the base of her spine as she stepped on the lift next to Jack. She pulled the leather jacket on just as the breeze from the bay was able to sweep across her shoulders as they emerged. She smiled gratefully at the gloves she found in the pocket of the jacket. She stood with Jack as they waited for the others to arrive. When they got there she climbed in the back of the SUV with Tosh as Jack and Ianto sat upfront, Gwen and Owen following in their own car. As they made their way to the scene Tosh pulled up the police reports and the police radio conversations.

"Tosh what happened here?" Jack asked as they pulled up, all comms units open so both Gwen and Owen could hear them.

"Two IC1 males. One fatality, one seriously wounded after a fall from a fifth floor window. Onto a police vehicle." Owen immediately made his way over to the guy lying across the police cruiser with a black ski mask covering his face.

"Gwen, Owen go with him to the hospital. See if he says anything." Jack ordered pausing for only a second, "Interview the husband and wife while you're there. Tosh, Cali-Ann, with me. Ianto go see what you can schmooze out of the PCs."

After discovering nothing new at the scene and receiving a call from Gwen as the pulled up to the Hub Jack and Cali went to go pick up the woman from the apartment and bring her back after dropping the other two off. Jack and Gwen interrogated the woman till the light bulb went out and Jack decided to let Gwen take over for a few.

"Just us and this room for as long as it take?" Ianto said, repeating Jacks words as he walked over to him, "terrifying."

"Really?" Jack looked surprised.

"Absolutely. Shivers down my spine." Ianto said barely able to keep a straight face.

"You don't look scared." Jack responded in a near accusatory tone.

"Oh," Ianto looked over Jacks shoulder, "it passed." Cali giggled as Jack let out a mock growl of frustration. She could tell these two were going to be entertaining, Jack with his fast pace, in your face, exuberance, and Ianto with his dry, subdued humor, and the complete comfort they had with each other, not to mention the obvious love that filled their eyes when they looked at one another.

"Tosh, anything on the body scan?" Jack asked walking over.

"Nothing out of the ordinary."

"What about the light? Power surges?" Jack asked falling back into a chair.

"Nothing from us." She answered eyes never leaving the screen. "There was an electromagnetic build-up around her, but I can't see how she caused it." She said finally turning from the screens.

"Same thing happened at the hospital, Jack." Owen said, "Can't be a coincidence."

"It's her. I know it is." Jack said.

"Sorry, nothing that I've ever heard of." Cali said shaking her head, not liking that she had been no help so far in this case, proving herself to be pretty much useless.

"Okay. Let's do some test. See who or what we are dealing with." Jack said standing up.

"I'm on it." Owen said heading toward the Autopsy Bay. Cali headed over to her work station while Ianto moved to continue his work fixing the rift manipulator, both knowing there was nothing they could do to help in this process. As Gwen brought Beth up from the room. Cali was amused at the young woman's reaction to the Hub. She watched as she leaned over to look more closely at something, appearing to even sniff at it.

Ianto leaned out from where he was working and barked at the girl, "We don't sniff the sub-etheric resonator." The woman apologized before moving on. They could hear soft mumbles coming from the autopsy bay as the four down there chatted.

Suddenly Jack's voice rang out, "Stop wasting our time. We know you're an alien." All three looked toward the sunken room. They didn't hear Beth's response but soon Jack was dragging her across the Hub and down to the vaults. When they came back up Jack said something to Owen before going to his office leaving Beth in Gwen's care once again. Owen walked off before coming back with some sort of chair and Jack immerged from his office with a containment box. From inside he pulled out a silver item.

"You said we weren't to use that again." Tosh said eyeing the item.

"It's just a mind probe." Jack responded somewhat harshly.

"You remember what happened last time we used it?" Ianto asked before moving to set up the chair thing Owen had wheeled in.

"That was different and that species has extremely high blood pressure." Jack responded.

"Oh, right. Their heads must explode all the time." Ianto responded as Gwen walked back into the room.

"Dissiliunty?" Cali asked thinking of the strange hyper active thin skinned creatures.

"Yes."

"No offense but hitting them with a fly the wrong way can make their head explode." Cali said thinking back to the three she had met on a search and rescue.

"See?" Jack said glad someone understood.

"Jack, you can't do this. What if you're wrong?" Gwen asked, "If she is human, it'll kill her."

"I'm not wrong. We have to find out what she is." He said as Ianto sat in the chair flexing his hands on the arms.

"Take it easy, Jack." Tosh said as she finished hooking the device up to her computer, "stop at the first sign of trouble."

"Or the first sign of exploding." Ianto said, having now slid his wrists into the restraints.

"Gwen bring her up." Jack ordered wanting to get this over with. Gwen shook her head and left to get the prisoner. As she walked past Ianto started convulsing and making fake noises as if he were being electrocuted, making Cali stifle a giggle. "Hey!" Jack said pointing at him clearly not amused. Owen shook his head at Ianto as he stood up. When they brought her up Tosh helped strap her into the chair.

"The probe drills down through your consciousness, so if there is anything hidden it will pop to the surface." Jack explained.

"Will it hurt?" she asked.

"Yeah" _well at least he's honest_ Cali thought.

"Your bedside manner's rubbish."

"You should see his manners in bed. " Gwen popped up, "they're atrocious." Suddenly she became aware all eyes shifted to her, "Apparently, so I've heard." She said covering quickly.

"Oh they are. I remember this one time.." Ianto started before Jack cut him off. Gwen moved to the woman and the process start Cali watched as Jack fired off each question, waited for her to respond and Owen to tell him she was still physically ok. While everyone else looked worried Cali couldn't help but cock her head in amazement, there weren't many species that could stand this sort of pain but she had to agree with Jack that the woman was not human. Suddenly the alarm started to wail and the lights began to flicker. Suddenly everything stopped and the woman slumped forward. There was a beeping and her right arm began to transform and she sat up.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, and Cali didn't want to hear the answer. The woman answered in a foreign language. "Where are you from?" again she answered with the same words. "How do you like my boots?" and Cali knew not only what Jack was proving to the rest of the team but what they were dealing with and it wasn't good. Jack walked over and grabbed the scanner from Tosh's desk and ran it over her arm.

"Jack, what is it? What is she saying?" Gwen asked.

"Name, rank, serial number." Cali answered blankly from the corner she had moved to. "That's all she's going to say." They all turned to look at her.

"How do you know?" Tosh asked.

"Because she knows who she is and why she's here." Jack answered his eyes meeting Cali, "and so do I. Switch off the probe." He said tossing the scanner to Ianto.

"Off." Tosh said after a few key strokes. The woman's arm returned to the way it was and she leaned forward gasping as she returned from her trance.

After moving her back to the cells the team assembled in the board room. Jack quickly explained that there guest was a sleeper agent for an alien race that would take over a plant, destroy all and leave no survivors. Cali watched as they discussed what to do and decided to start by telling the woman. She watched as Jack and Gwen went down to the vaults before curling up on the couch. She gratefully took a cup of hot chocolate that Ianto handed her.

"Wanna talk about how you knew?" he said sitting next to her.

"Did a cleanup op from them." She said, "I had only just become active, only been 18 a few weeks. We showed up on the planet, it was completely destroyed. There were two of them still there. We had enough technology with us that we were able to defeat them, but not without major casualties, and that was just from the two that were still there." She looked up at him, "I've never heard of a full attack being stopped Ianto, I don't know if it's possible."

"If it is Jack will figure it out." He said. Just then Jack and Gwen immerged from the vaults and discussion started on what to do.

"We can't keep her locked up Jack, it's inhumane." Gwen argued.

"We can't let her go, she's too dangerous." He replied. And so the discussion began. They decided to try to freeze her but in Cali's gut she knew it wouldn't help. They couldn't be contained or stopped, only killed. She watched from the stairs as they loaded her into the cryo-chamber before sending her down to the morgue. Cali walked back to her small station, worry clawing at her stomach. Suddenly the lights all flickered and the alarms went off.

"Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on?" Jack demanded striding from his office. Cali leapt up and ran over to Gwen's computer as she brought up the CCTV of the morgue and the drawer that Beth had been loaded into, now open and empty. Cali watched as the team scrambled to figure out why and where the alien had gone.

"What about her husband?" Cali asked.

"What?" Jack turned to look at her.

"Her husband, she loves him, you say she has another agenda what if it's to say good bye?"

"Good thinking, Gwen lets go get her back here… NOW!" Jack ordered striding from the Hub Gwen hot on his heels.

"Good thinking." Ianto said as he walked past.

"Thanks." she just hoped it was soon enough.

About 30 minutes later Jack called into say they had gotten her, when suddenly they could hear an explosion in the background that shook the hub. They quickly found that a petrol tanker had been blown up to take out a pipe line just as Owen received reports that one Patrick Grainger had been murdered.

"Who?" Tosh asked wondering why it was relevant.

"Leader of the council, stabbed several times in the chest and once in the forehead. Sound familiar?"

"Why would anyone want to kill him?" Gwen asked from over the Comms.

"He's also the city coordinator." Ianto answered. "Takes charge of the city in case of major emergencies. Has all the security protocols." Cali looked at him in slight shock that he knew all of that from one name.

"How do you know all that?" Owen asked.

"I know everything." He replied as if it were obvious, "and it says so on the bottom of the screen."

"Smart ass." Cali muttered

"Guys its starting." Jack informed the Hub just before there was a high pitched screeching and all communications went down.

"What was that?" Owen demanded.

"Looks like they shut down the telephone network." Cali replied.

"Tosh can't you just hook something up?" the young doctor demanded.

"No, I can't just hook something up. The entire telephone network is down." She replied.

"What about mobile connection?" Cali looked at him as if he were stupid; did he really just say that?

"The. Entire. Telephone. Network. Is. Down." Tosh repeated letting each word punctuate into his brain.

"Mobiles Land lines, tin cans with bits of strings. Everything. Absolutely everything. No phones, phones all broken." Ianto said walking up. "Hello? Anyone there" he asked lifting his hand as if it were a phone. "No because the phones aren't working." He said hoping maybe sarcasm would get through the doctors thick skull.

"What about we try…" Owen started.

"There is no way of getting in touch with Jack. No way!" Tosh said exasperated. Cali looked over at Ianto who rolled his eyes. Suddenly they all heard a radio static.

"Tosh, Owen, can you hear me?" Jacks voice came in through the radio.

"Jack!" Tosh said rushing over to an old CB. "Thank God. What happened?"

"There's a cell. It's active. Four including Beth, two are dead. We're tracking the last guy now."

"How are the other two dead?" Cali asked.

"Killed them self for the cause," they could hear the disgust in Jack's tone; "if we can get to the last one before he does anything we can stop this."

"What can I do?" Tosh asked.

"He's headed for an abandoned farm just outside the city. I need to know what out there." They all moved to their computers to find something useful.

"Where's he going? There's nothing there." Owen said.

"Nothing on the surface." Tosh confirmed.

"This is as far back as they could go." Ianto said reading from a book from the archives. "There used to be a coal mine in the cliff. The army sealed it off in the '40s. Doesn't say why."

"Let me see if I can get into the military files." Tosh said as they all crowed around her desk. "Come on guys. That wasn't even difficult. You disappoint me" She said after a few key strokes. It was almost obscene how fast she had done it.

"It's almost obscene what you do to security systems." Ianto said, voicing Cali's thoughts.

"Oh god."

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"The mineshaft. The military are using it for storage. Nuclear warheads. Ten of them. No bodies supposed to know not even us. Please tell me you can stop this"

"Going as fast as we can. If we don't, we won't feel a thing. We're all at the center of the blast radius."

"That's comforting." Cali spat out. She did not come back to the past only to die two days later.

"Come on, have a little faith! With a dashing hero like me on the case, how can we fail?"

"He is dashing you have to give him that." Ianto said.

"And what if they can't stop it?" Owen asked

"They'll stop it." Tosh said trying to convince everyone, including herself, of this.

"Yeah, but if they can't?"

"Then it's all over." Cali said dropping onto the couch know there was nothing she could do.

"Let's all have sex." Owen said. The other three stared at him in disbelief.

"And I thought the end of the world couldn't get any worse." Ianto said before turning away. They all sat in silence waiting to hear from Jack. More than an hour went by before Jack and Gwen walked in with Beth.

"All safe." Jack said. Owen walked down to the Autopsy bay followed by Gwen, and Tosh followed Jack into his office, while Ianto went out to check on the SUV. Soon Gwen headed up to where Beth was waiting. A few minutes later they immerged, Beth holding the long blade from her arm against Gwen's throat. Instinctively they all drew their weapons and pointed them at the duo. The bad feeling in Cali's gut coming to a peak.

"I won't let you freeze me." She hollered out to the team. "I'll kill you all."

"Let her go! Let her go!" Jack shouted.

"No! Wait, wait, wait, wait, and don't shoot!" Gwen said trying to waive them back, "It's a trick, she won't hurt me! She won't hurt me."

"Move away from her now!" Tosh yelled.

"Everybody, calm down." Jack hollered. "Beth, you don't; want to do this. Let Gwen go."

"I'll kill her first, than all of you, than the rest of your miserable species." Beth yelled and Cali cursed that she couldn't get a better shot.

"Beth, please." Gwen begged, "they will kill you. You have proved to be better than that. You helped us to stop the invasion. You can be human. Please, Beth."

"Not human enough."

"Beth" Gwen pleaded.

"Good bye Gwen." As she drew her arm back Cali squeezed the trigger, aiming the bullet straight at the throat seconds before the rest of the team riddled her chest with holes. As Owen and Jack rushed up to Gwen Cali holstered her gun and went outside needing to feel the ocean breeze.

"You ok?" Ianto asked coming to stand next to her.

"Fine, I just wish we could have done it sooner, before Gwen got attached." She said coldly.

"That was never an option; Gwen was attached from the moment she walked into the hospital."

"For that I'm sorry." She turned to look at him, "is there any way I could get something stiff to drink?"

"Yeah let's go." With that he led her down a few blocks to a small pub for a pint.

**A/N: So I will post the next chapter next week but if I get my five reviews I will post sooner.**


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